Housing decision brief
Clay County, IA Housing Market
Clay County screens as a higher purchase price, below-state rent, a manageable tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
67th lowest home value out of 99 Iowa counties with data | 49th lowest rent out of 99
Median home value
$171,500
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$798/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$913/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
25.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$115/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower rent
$798/mo is At the Iowa county median
Rent burden below pressure line
25.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$64,082 median income is 7% below Iowa county median
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Clay County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $171,500 | $148,600 | $281,900 | 15% pressure15% above Iowa county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $798 | $800 | $1,163 | Near state medianAt the Iowa county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $913 | $886 | $1,672 | Near state median3% above Iowa county median |
Median household income | $64,082 | $68,704 | $74,755 | 7% pressure7% below Iowa county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.18% | 1.34% | 1.02% | 12% favorable12% below Iowa county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 25.00% | 25.00% | N/A | Near state median25.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$32,162
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$24,953
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Clay County is affordable. The median rent is $798/month against a median household income of $64,082, putting rent at 14.9% of income.
Rent vs own
Renters in Clay County pay $798/month on average, compared to $913/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 13%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $31,920/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $39,129/year. With a median household income of $64,082, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 25.0% of renter households in Clay County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Iowa, Clay County is more affordable than Ringgold County by roughly 7% ($798/mo vs $745/mo).
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County, IA | $170,000 | $800/mo | Same-state comparison near $170,000 home value and $800/mo rent. |
| Allamakee County, IA | $171,900 | $717/mo | Same-state comparison near $171,900 home value and $717/mo rent. |
| Jasper County, IA | $176,800 | $822/mo | Same-state comparison near $176,800 home value and $822/mo rent. |
| Clarke County, IA | $160,200 | $836/mo | Same-state comparison near $160,200 home value and $836/mo rent. |
| Clinton County, IA | $153,800 | $825/mo | Same-state comparison near $153,800 home value and $825/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Clay County
Is Clay County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Clay County?
How much income do you need for housing in Clay County?
What should I double-check before moving to Clay County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.